Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 998 Courage is the most important thing

"I was eating at a restaurant with my friend Arthur one day, and this beautiful girl came in and I said to Arthur, did you see that girl of yours? I'm going to marry her. We were married two weeks later. ..."

  Nora Ephron moved quickly, and a few days later, the videotape of some elderly couples interviewed in New York was completed. Ronald sat and watched with her and Rob Reiner.

  On the screen is a typical white old couple. The man is bragging about his story, and the woman is watching him from the side, revealing a hint of girlish sweetness.

   "Fifty years later, we are still husband and wife!"

   Ronald showed a smile on his face, and most of the video tapes that followed were sweet couples, going to the final story together. There is a Chinese couple who went back to their hometown in the south to get married on a blind date, and they are also very sweet. There is only one Italian couple. After they got married, the man had many female companions, but after thirty-five years, he remarried with his first wife.

   "Look, most people who love each other end up together." Ronald pointed out with a smile.

   "That's right..." Nora Ephron couldn't help suspecting that she had made a mistake in her cognition. Maybe her marriage with her ex-husband Bernstein worshiped redundant love, which was the reason why she didn't make it to the end?

   "No, no, Ronald, I was almost deceived by you. The people you asked Nora to interview are all couples. Those who are divorced and separated cannot be interviewed together."

"But don't you think they all love each other? When these couples look at each other, there is love in their eyes. Just like Harry and Sally, they also love each other very much. When the two broke up with their partners, they comforted each other, which is a subconscious expression of their love for each other."

   Of course Ronald did not admit it, and continued to insist on his point of view.

   "That's true...", Nora Ephron has been won over to her by Ronald.

   "Well, I agree that we can do this for the box office, but I still insist that from an artistic point of view, this film should separate them."

  Rob Reiner's attitude is a little loose. His Castle Rock company, after all, has just started producing its own movies, and the box office is a very important indicator for him. If the first movie in which it was co-produced flops at the box office, there's a good chance there won't be another Castle Rock one.

  Nora Ephron put away the video tape. She felt that her screenwriting ability was somewhat lacking in weapons when dealing with this kind of commercial film. So she asked Ronald if she could bring in her friend, another screenwriter.

   "Of course, who is she?"

   "Carrie, Carrie Fisher."

   "Princess Leia from Star Wars?" Ronald and Nora Ephron confirm. It was indeed Princess Leia.

   After Carrie Fisher finished filming "Star Wars", she didn't have many successful works as an actor. After she realized that she couldn't make it to the top female stars in Hollywood, she began to turn to behind-the-scenes work that really interested her.

  Nora Ephron and her are good friends, and it happens that Carrie Fisher's private love life is similar to Sally in the movie script. Carey first lived with singer Paul Simon for a few years before falling in love with and engaged to Canadian actor Dan Aykroyd.

   Who knew that Paul Simon came back to find her, so she canceled the engagement and returned to Simon's arms. After finally marrying Paul Simon, she divorced after only one year, but after the divorce, she broke up with Simon again, which is simply a live-action version of a woman with the character of Sally in the script.

  Of course, recently, she fell in love with a federal senator again. It is said that this time she found true love, and she is now in a sweet love.

   It happens to be the final reunion ending, and actors who are in love are needed to act. Nora Ephron is confident about it.

  Because of signing a temporary agreement with the screenwriters union, now Carrie Fisher can work on the crew in a fair manner.

  …

   Then Ronald flew to the capital, Washington, DC. He made an appointment with Mrs. Barbara who came back from the Elephant Party National Convention to finalize the marketing of "Working Girl".

   "Look at my lips, there is no new tax increase!" Old George's "heroic posture" at the national convention was constantly broadcast on the TV in the room.

   "I want to continue to support the volunteer organizations, whose brilliant diversity spreads like stars, like a thousand twilight lights in a vast and peaceful sky."

  Barbara was sitting in front of the TV, and she never got tired of watching this clip. While watching it, I am still retelling the speech with a thousand points of light, how passionate and contagious it is? The American people must be moved by the pride of their ancestors who took the Mayflower to open up a new world.

   "What do you think, Ronald?" Barbara turned to Ronald and asked.

   "It's very contagious. I see that your children respect their father very much in the camera." Ronald looked at Barbara's overflowing pride, what else could he say? Of course I choose what she likes to hear.

   "You're a good boy..." Barbara's eyes shimmered because of excitement. I've seen this more than a hundred times, and it's still so good-looking.

   "Eh...", Ronald originally wanted to talk about his impressions. This kind of speech style of the founding fathers is no longer suitable for the media effect of the TV media covering most of the audience in the country. What everyone likes now is the kind of politician who can tell a few jokes and laugh at himself, and his words are approachable. Like the current Grand Commander, and the governor of Arkansas.

  But Barbara didn't give him this opportunity. She talked a lot about how respected she and her husband were at the national convention, and how their children were also very capable. During her eight years as the deputy commander's wife, she had had enough of being squeezed out by the first lady Nancy.

   Now all of a sudden, the wife of the Grand Commander-designate (so she thinks) is respected by everyone in the party, and this contrast makes her a little too excited.

  Ronald had to listen to Barbara repeat the story several times, and endured waiting for her to consume the passion she showed off. Then he picked up the phone and called two former and current female ministers to finalize their itinerary for the "Working Girl" campaign.

   "Thank you very much", Ronald rubbed his hands, it is really difficult to ask Barbara for a little return now.

  The wife of the Grand Commander-designate has a busy schedule, and she is going to meet other people soon, continuing the old routine of praising her husband and family.

"You are going to meet little George when you have time. He told me about your help several times." Barbara took Ronald's hand, and it was this young man who made her feel happy. No one like him could listen to what he said so carefully.

   "Of course, I will. My friend Douglas Jr., and let's continue to promote jobs and prosperity" Action Committee contributes to Mr. Candidate. "

   "Ahahaha, you really know how to make me happy." Barbara patted Ronald's hand, turned her head and walked out.

   "Of course, with you, just praise your husband and a few children." Ronald smiled and left with satisfaction.

  …

   "I didn't expect it to be you, Ronald."

   In Washington, D.C., Ronald also had a date with Berkshire's Warren Buffy. Since I found out from Coca-Cola, and made the same judgment as myself, the investor who bought Coca-Cola stock in a large amount was actually an old acquaintance Ronald. Buffett became interested and asked him to meet in Washington, DC.

   "Ha, I also bought it for dividends." Ronald clearly felt that Warren's interest was higher than the previous few times he saw him. "David's composition talent is very high. We have to invite him to be the soundtrack for several of our daydream movies."

  Warren Buffy is obviously far more interested in talking about stock investing than talking about his son David. Pulling Ronald to talk about buying Coca-Cola. In fact, many people don't understand such an old-fashioned blue-chip stock with little market change.

  Buffy is very happy to have such a bosom friend now, and talks freely.

   "David...", Ronald wanted to bring the topic back to his son. Talking about his son with his parents is the only magic weapon to please the conversation.

   "He is a talented person, but unfortunately he doesn't like investing." Warren Buffet commented on his son, and immediately turned the topic back to stocks. It seems that Buffy seems quite dissatisfied with David, the most talented of his children. This kid is obviously very smart, but he is doing some movie soundtrack.

"You can see that dividends are a very good idea. If we regard the rise and fall of stock prices as dividends, then as long as the discount rate is used to convert the rising part into dividends, then we can actually treat stocks as bonds. Come and see..."

"This is really an interesting idea, so if the bond does not pay dividends, when the price is used to represent the dividend value of the bond when it is finally cashed out, is it the same as the stock instead?" Ronald drew inferences from one instance, following Buffet's The train of thought asked.

   "Hey, you're a gifted investor. Few people get my point so quickly."

  Buffett was even happier, and then said a lot of terms that Ronald didn't understand, and talked about his analysis. According to the current price-to-book ratio of 5 times, many people only see that he bought Coca-Cola with a yield of only 6.5%, which is not as good as 9% of long-term treasury bonds.

   Ronald understood at the beginning that many people on Wall Street believed that buying Coca-Cola was not as good as buying treasury bonds. But none of them saw a bright future for Coca-Cola.

"But many people don't see the amazing creativity of Coca-Cola's management team. In the past five years, it has provided a return on net assets of 30%, and the annual growth rate of earnings has been 17%. If you count the return on net assets reinvested, it will be higher."

   But later, Buffy said a lot of terms, which exceeded his understanding.

  Warren looked at Ronald with a puzzled look on his face, knowing that he didn't know much about finances, and was only optimistic about Coca-Cola based on his intelligence.

   "You have to learn finance, Ronald. With your investment and the scale of the company, it is impossible to personally do every project. Financial statements are the language for interpreting the company's operations."

   "Okay, I will find someone to teach me." Ronald also felt that it was time to make up lessons.

   "Are you okay tonight? Come play bridge with me..."

  …

  "One Club", a man taller than Buffett, opened with a good card, and it was Munger.

  At night, everyone formed a casual game of cards. Ronald and Warren Buffy teamed up against Mrs. Graham, the lady boss of the Washington Post, and Charlie Munger, Warren's business partner.

   "Pass", Buffy's hand is not good.

   "What does Washington think of the screenwriters' union strike?" Ronald took the opportunity to ask Mrs. Graham. This is the head of the best newspaper in Washington and even the country, and she is very well informed about a lot of news. This pastime game is a good place for everyone to exchange news.

   "No trump", Mrs. Graham responded with a good hand and a possible slam. "The commander-in-chief has arranged for a special commissioner to mediate. This time, everyone is not on the side of the screenwriters' union. Now the new season of the TV series is about to be unfinished. No one can stop the anger of all the housewives."

   "So, it's impossible for the TV station to continue?" Ronald's judgment was approved by Mrs. Graham.

   "Hurry up and call, I'm going to hit the grand slam." Munger was dissatisfied, and urged Ronald to call quickly.

   "Eh, what do you mean by nothing? What time is it?"

  Ronald hated this precise bidding method. Cha-cha Munger and Graham used the bidding system used by the American team in the World Championships.

   This kind of bidding, a club means that there are 16 to 20 big cards in the hand, and the response also accurately describes the card type and points in the hand, so it is called precise system. The advantage is that it can call out the cards of both sides, and it is easy to call a game or a slam.

   "8 to 10 point big cards," explained Mrs. Graham. In bridge, if you don't understand the opponent's bidding agreement, you can ask the opponent to explain.

   "Oh... I pass too", Ronald couldn't call. Soon the advantages of precise control came into play, and Ronald and Buffy were made a game by the opponent, losing 120 points.

"Well, you have to learn to be precise, Ronald. This bidding system is the same as investing..." Charlie Munger is an academic, and he is better than Warren Buffet when it comes to investing. of.

   "Really?" Ronald was furious, and picked up the dealt cards, "But sometimes, you can't think too accurately, and it takes a little courage, especially in our business."

   "Three Hearts!" Ronald yelled viciously.

   Ronald and Buffy used the natural bidding method. There are not too many agreements, what suit is called is what suit is used to play the trump card. An opening bid of three hearts means that I only have seven hearts and the other cards are poor.

   "Hey hey hey, four hearts", Warren Buffy also got excited and raised to the end of the game. Now if Ronald can make it, he can get it back.

"Eh..." Munger grimaced, and the opening bid was at the third level. His precise system began to bid at the first level, and the space that could convey a lot of information was blocked by Ronald's reckless (or brave) bidding. up. After thinking about it for a long time, he was still afraid that his and Graham's cards would not match, so he had to let it go.

   "Hahaha...", Ronald was very happy when Buffett's cards were dealt. They have hope of making this game, but if Munger is given the opening bid, their spades can get a small slam.

  Finally, Ronald played the cards correctly and stole a round from the opponent with courage and intuition.

   "Ronald, your poker skills and courage are good." Mrs. Graham admired, "In business and life adventures, courage may be the hardest thing to obtain."

  She seemed to be talking about Ronald's card-playing skills, but she seemed to be talking about other things.

   If Ronald realized something, news of a new strike came the next day.

   Still supports a June 16 proposal by 21 dissident union members to file charges with the National Labor Relations Board to invalidate union rules that bar them from returning to work during the strike.

   Some union members who disagree with the negotiators have threatened to resign their union memberships and return to work if the strike is not resolved by July 28.

  The protracted strike finally achieved a substantial turning point.

  (end of this chapter)